Tele interview: Impact of direct village elections

No foreign organization has watched China's village committee elections more closely than American NGO The Carter Center. For their perspective, we crossover to Liu Yawei, who's the director of the center's China Program. Hello, Dr. Liu.

1. Village committee elections carry a lot expectations and represent China's grassroots democracy. How would you evaluate the impact of the elections? Is it a suitable turning ground for democratization?

2. In past years, some village cadres were found guilty of abusing their power through embezzlement and accepting bribes. Does China's grassroots democratic model have intrinsic problems, and what steps can be taken to further stamp out corruption?

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